U.S. patent application number 15/397986 was filed with the patent office on 2017-07-06 for refrigerator.
The applicant listed for this patent is LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Jaehun JUNG.
Application Number | 20170191741 15/397986 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57714539 |
Filed Date | 2017-07-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170191741 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JUNG; Jaehun |
July 6, 2017 |
REFRIGERATOR
Abstract
A refrigerator may include a cabinet disposed at a storage
compartment, a door hinged to the cabinet and configured to open
and close at least a portion of the storage compartment, the door
including an outer door defining a front appearance of the door, a
door dike defining a rear appearance of the door, and an inner
space located between the outer door and the door dike, a moving
frame configured to move vertically with respect to the door dike,
the moving frame including a supporter configured to extend from
the door dike to the inner space, and a rail embedded in the inner
space configured to support the supporter.
Inventors: |
JUNG; Jaehun; (Seoul,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LG ELECTRONICS INC. |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
57714539 |
Appl. No.: |
15/397986 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 25/022 20130101;
F25D 11/00 20130101; A47B 57/32 20130101; F25D 23/025 20130101;
F25D 23/04 20130101; F25D 2323/023 20130101; A47B 88/437 20170101;
A47B 88/477 20170101; A47B 88/407 20170101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 23/04 20060101
F25D023/04; F25D 23/02 20060101 F25D023/02; A47B 57/32 20060101
A47B057/32; A47B 88/437 20060101 A47B088/437; A47B 88/477 20060101
A47B088/477; F25D 25/02 20060101 F25D025/02; F25D 11/00 20060101
F25D011/00; A47B 88/407 20060101 A47B088/407 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 5, 2016 |
KR |
10-2016-0001282 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet disposed at a storage
compartment; a door hinged to the cabinet and configured to open
and close at least a portion of the storage compartment, the door
including an outer door defining a front appearance of the door, a
door dike defining a rear appearance of the door, and an inner
space located between the outer door and the door dike; a moving
frame configured to move vertically with respect to the door dike,
the moving frame including a supporter configured to extend from
the door dike to the inner space; and a rail embedded in the inner
space configured to support the supporter.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door dike
includes a cut-shaped rail mount unit, and wherein the rail is
coupled to the rail mount unit at the inner space.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the rail and the
rail mount unit are covered by a rail cover bracket disposed at the
inner space.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the rail cover
bracket is coupled to the rail, wider than the rail and the rail
coupling unit, and completely covers the rail and the rail coupling
unit.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein, when the inner
space is filled with a filler, the rail cover bracket is disposed
to separate the inner space into a first space for the filler and a
second space for accommodating the rail and the rail coupling
unit.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the rail cover
bracket includes a lattice rib at an outer surface of the rail
cover bracket to increase a coupling area between the rail cover
bracket and the filler.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the door dike
includes a rail coupling opening through which the supporter is
configured to move forward and rearward along the rail to be
coupled to the rail.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the rail coupling
opening is covered by a coupling cover after the supporter is
coupled to the rail.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the moving frame
is configured to have a square closed loop by aluminum
die-casting.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the moving
basket comprises a basket that is configured to accommodate goods
coupled to the moving frame, and wherein the moving frame and the
basket are configured to move in an integrated manner.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the supporter
comprises a supporter frame including a plurality of rollers at
upper and lower parts of the supporter, and wherein the moving
frame comprises an extending frame coupled to the supporter
frame.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the basket is
seated at an upper part of the moving frame and the moving frame is
configured to be inserted into a lower part of the basket such that
the moving frame supports load applied to the basket.
13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the basket
includes insertion grooves which are configured to receive the
extending frame.
14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the insertion
grooves are located at both left and right sides of the basket.
15. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the supporter
comprises rollers disposed at upper and lower sides of the
supporter, and wherein the rail comprises a roller guide configured
to move the rollers vertically.
16. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the roller
guide includes a plurality of roller openings spaced a distance
away from one another at one side of the roller guide.
17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the outer parts
of the rollers include an elastic material, and wherein the rollers
are configured to elastically deform based on the rollers moving
along the roller guide, and elastically restore at the roller
openings to be partially inserted into the roller openings.
18. The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein the supporter
comprises a lever that is configured to be selectively inserted
into the roller openings to limit the vertical movement of the
moving frame.
19. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein the supporter
comprises an operation unit that is configured to adjust
displacement of the lever based on the user's input
displacement.
20. The refrigerator according to claim 19, further comprising a
spring disposed between the operation unit and the lever, the
spring being configured to return the operation unit and the lever
to an original position.
21. The refrigerator according to claim 20, wherein an interlocking
part is located between the operation unit and the lever, and
wherein the interlocking part, the operation unit, the lever, and
the spring are accommodated in a supporter cover.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. P2016-0001282, filed on Jan. 5, 2016, which is
hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
FIELD
[0002] The present application relates to a refrigerator, and more
particularly, to a refrigerator including a moving shelf or a
moving basket.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In general, a refrigerator is an apparatus that discharges
cool air generated by a refrigerating cycle involving a compressor,
a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator to lower the
temperature in the refrigerator such that food is stored in a
frozen state or in a refrigerated state.
[0004] A refrigerator generally includes a freezing compartment for
storing food or beverages in a frozen state and a refrigerating
compartment for storing food or beverages in a refrigerated
state.
[0005] Refrigerators are classified into a top mount type
refrigerator, in which a freezing compartment is disposed above a
refrigerating compartment, a bottom freezer type refrigerator, in
which a freezing compartment is disposed under a refrigerating
compartment, or a side by side type refrigerator, in which a
freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment are disposed
side by side. In each case, doors are provided at the freezing
compartment and the refrigerating compartment, respectively, such
that access to the freezing compartment and the refrigerating
compartment is possible through the doors.
[0006] In addition to refrigerators in which a freezing compartment
and a refrigerating compartment are partitioned from each other,
there are also refrigerators in which access to a freezing
compartment and a refrigerating compartment is possible through a
single door. Most such single door type refrigerators are
small-sized, and the freezing compartment is generally provided in
a specific space inside the refrigerating compartment.
[0007] There are also French type refrigerators, in which an upper
refrigerating compartment is opened and closed by left and right
doors, as a kind of top mount type refrigerator. A freezing
compartment of the French type refrigerator may also be opened and
closed by left and right doors.
[0008] In recent years, a home bar, an ice maker, a shelf, and a
basket have been frequently mounted at the rear of the door of the
refrigerator in order to use the rear of the door as an additional
storage space or an additional functional space. That is, the door
has additional functions, such as the provision of additional
storage space or the production and supply of ice or cold water, in
addition to simply opening and closing the freezing compartment or
the refrigerating compartment.
[0009] A refrigerator having a sub door for opening and closing a
sub storage compartment provided in a main door has been proposed.
This type of refrigerator may be called a door in door (DID)
refrigerator. When the main door is opened, a main storage
compartment is used, and when the sub door is opened while the main
door is closed, the sub compartment may be used.
[0010] The sub storage compartment may be disposed at the rear side
of the main door and may be a storage area partially separated by a
partition from the main storage compartment. Recently, an area for
the sub storage compartment is formed not at part of the main door
but at substantially the entire main door.
[0011] Goods that are frequently used, such as beverages, may be
stored in the sub storage compartment, and the sub storage
compartment includes a plurality of shelves and a plurality of
baskets. Since the height of goods vary, it may be necessary to
change the positions of the shelves and the baskets as occasion
demands.
SUMMARY
[0012] According to one aspect, a refrigerator may include a
cabinet disposed at a storage compartment, a door hinged to the
cabinet and configured to open and close at least a portion of the
storage compartment, the door including an outer door defining a
front appearance of the door, a door dike defining a rear
appearance of the door, and an inner space located between the
outer door and the door dike, a moving frame configured to move
vertically with respect to the door dike, the moving frame
including a supporter configured to extend from the door dike to
the inner space, and a rail embedded in the inner space configured
to support the supporter.
[0013] Implementations according to this aspect may include one or
more of the following features. For example, the door dike may
include a cut-shaped rail mount unit, and the rail may be coupled
to the rail mount unit at the inner space. The rail and the rail
mount unit are covered by a rail cover bracket disposed at the
inner space. The rail cover bracket is coupled to the rail, wider
than the rail and the rail coupling unit, and completely covers the
rail and the rail coupling unit. When the inner space is filled
with a filler, the rail cover bracket is disposed to separate the
inner space into a first space for the filler and a second space
for accommodating the rail and the rail coupling unit. the rail
cover bracket includes a lattice rib at an outer surface of the
rail cover bracket to increase a coupling area between the rail
cover bracket and the filler.
[0014] The door dike includes a rail coupling opening through which
the supporter is configured to move forward and rearward along the
rail to be coupled to the rail. The moving frame is configured to
have a square closed loop by aluminum die-casting. The moving
basket may include a basket that is configured to accommodate goods
coupled to the moving frame, and wherein the moving frame and the
basket are configured to move in an integrated manner. The
supporter includes a supporter frame including a plurality of
rollers at upper and lower parts of the supporter, and the moving
frame includes an extending frame coupled to the supporter frame.
The basket is seated at an upper part of the moving frame and the
moving frame is configured to be inserted into a lower part of the
basket such that the moving frame supports load applied to the
basket. The basket includes insertion grooves which are configured
to receive the extending frame.
[0015] The insertion grooves are located at both left and right
sides of the basket. The supporter may include rollers disposed at
upper and lower sides of the supporter, and the rail includes a
roller guide configured to move the rollers vertically. The roller
guide includes a plurality of roller openings spaced a distance
away from one another at one side of the roller guide. The outer
parts of the rollers include an elastic material, and the rollers
are configured to elastically deform based on the rollers moving
along the roller guide, and elastically restore at the roller
openings to be partially inserted into the roller openings. The
supporter includes a lever that is configured to be selectively
inserted into the roller openings to limit the vertical movement of
the moving frame. The supporter includes an operation unit that is
configured to adjust displacement of the lever based on the user's
input displacement. The refrigerator includes a spring disposed
between the operation unit and the lever, the spring being
configured to return the operation unit and the lever to an
original position. An interlocking part is located between the
operation unit and the lever, and the interlocking part, the
operation unit, the lever, and the spring are accommodated in a
supporter cover.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an example of a
refrigerator;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a view, as seen from the front of an example main
door, illustrating the main door mounted with an example moving
basket illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a view, as seen from the rear of the main door,
illustrating the main door mounted with the moving basket
illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating the main door
illustrated in FIG. 2;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating
an example coupling structure between an example door dike and an
example rail;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example
coupling structure of the door dike, the rail, and the moving
basket;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example moving basket;
[0023] FIG. 8 is an exploded view illustrating the moving basket
illustrated in FIG. 7;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a bottom view illustrating the coupling structure
of the moving basket and the rail illustrated in FIG. 7; and
[0025] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating an
example coupling structure of the moving basket and the rail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a refrigerating compartment is
provided in the upper part of a cabinet 10 and a freezing
compartment is provided in the lower part of the cabinet 10. The
refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment may be
portions of a storage compartment or a main storage compartment 11
provided in the cabinet 10.
[0027] The refrigerator may include any refrigerator having a door
hinged to a cabinet for opening and closing a storage compartment
of the refrigerator.
[0028] A left refrigerating compartment door 20 and a right
refrigerating compartment door 25 are configured for opening and
closing the refrigerating compartment, and are hinged to the left
and right sides of the cabinet 10. In some examples a single
refrigerating compartment door may be hinged to the cabinet 10.
[0029] A left freezing compartment door 30 and a right freezing
compartment door 40 may be respectively hinged to the left and
right sides of the lower part of the cabinet 10 such that the left
freezing compartment door and the right freezing compartment door
are respectively provided under the left refrigerating compartment
door and the right refrigerating compartment door. In some examples
a single freezing compartment door may be hinged to the cabinet, or
may be a drawer type door, which is separably mounted in the
cabinet in the forward-rearward direction.
[0030] A handle groove 32 may be provided at the top surface of the
left freezing compartment door 30, and a handle groove may also be
provided at the top surface of the right freezing compartment door
40.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the right refrigerating compartment door
25 may include a main door 100 hingedly mounted to one side of the
cabinet 10 and a sub door 200 hingedly mounted to the main door 100
or the cabinet 10. As provided both the main door 100 and the sub
door 200 may be opened to access the refrigerating compartment.
[0032] An opening 120 may be provided in the inner middle part of
the main door 100, and a sub storage compartment or a door basket
may be provided at the rear of the main door 100.
[0033] The sub door 200 may be opened to access the sub storage
compartment through the opening 120 of the main door 100. That is,
only the sub door 200 may be opened to access the sub storage
compartment or the door basket without opening 120 the main door
100.
[0034] A groove-shaped handle 240 may be provided at the left side
of a panel assembly of the sub door 200. The handle 240 may extend
in the upward-downward direction, and may have a length equal to
the height of the panel. The sub door 200 may be a left sub door
provided at the left side of the cabinet 10. In this case, the
handle 240 may be formed on the opposite side.
[0035] In addition, the rotational direction of the sub door 200
may be identical to that of the main door 100.
[0036] In the refrigerator, the sub door 200 may be formed to be
smaller than the main door 100 while being inserted into the
opening 120 of the main door 100 when the sub door 200 is closed.
The refrigerator includes a moving basket mounted at the main door
100. A user may use the moving basket only when the sub door 200 is
opened, and the moving basket may be used when the main door 100 is
opened
[0037] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the main door 100 may include an
outer door substantially forming an appearance of the main door
100. The outer door 130 may form a front surface and both side
surfaces of the main door 100.
[0038] A door dike 150 may be provided at the rear of the outer
door 130. The door dike 140 may faun the rear surface of the main
door 150.
[0039] In general, the door dike 140 may be formed of a plastic. A
part of the door dike 140 may be formed to be inserted into a part
of the storage compartment. The door dike 140 may be referred to as
a door liner. A gasket may be mounted at the door dike 140. The
gasket is coupled to the cabinet to seal the gap to prevent leakage
of cool air.
[0040] Cap decoration parts 160 and 170 may be disposed at the main
door 100. The cap decoration parts 160 and 170 may include an upper
cap decoration part 170 for forming the upper surface of the main
door 100 and a lower cap decoration part 160 for forming the lower
surface of the main door 100.
[0041] The main door 100 may be formed by coupling the outer door
130 for forming the front surface and both side surfaces of the
main door 100, the door dike for forming the rear surface of the
main door 100, and the cap decoration parts 160 and 170 for forming
the upper and lower surfaces of the main door 100 to one another. A
space may be formed at an inner part of the above coupled
configurations. The space is filled with a foaming agent.
[0042] The main door 100 may include a door frame 140. When the
user opens the sub door of the door in door (DID) refrigerator, the
door frame 140 may be provided to access the sub storage
compartment or the door basket which are disposed at the rear side
of the main door 100. The door frame 140 may be provided to form a
hole at the front-central part of the main door 100.
[0043] The main door 100 may be formed by coupling the outer door
130, the door frame 140, the door dike 150, and the cap decoration
parts 160 and 170 to one another. A space may be formed at an inner
part of the above coupled configurations.
[0044] The moving basket 300 may be mounted at the door dike 150.
In general, in order to reduce the weight of the door, the moving
basket 300 may be formed to have a thin thickness and a plastic
plate shape. Thus, it is difficult to support the moving basket 300
through the door dike 150. This is because, when a bracket
supporting the basket is coupled to the door dike 150, the coupled
part of the door dike may be damaged.
[0045] When a rail for guiding movement of the moving basket is
mounted at the door dike 150, the rail may be visibly exposed as
well as the door dike 150 may be damaged. In addition, the storage
space may be reduced by the rail.
[0046] The rail 400 supporting the moving basket 300 may be
disposed in the door dike 150. Namely, the door dike 150 may do not
include a separate protruding part. While the appearance of the
door dike 150 is maintained, the rail 400 may be mounted at the
door dike 150.
[0047] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the moving basket 150 may
move in the upward-downward direction through the embedded rail 400
in the door dike 150. In addition, since the rail 400 is embedded
in the door dike 150, both sides of the moving basket 300 and both
sides of the door dike 150 may be adjacent to each other. In
addition, when the moving basket 300 is viewed from the front
surface or the rear surface of the main door 100, the entire moving
basket 300 may be shown without a covered part.
[0048] The structure or the shape of the rail 400 are embedded in
the door dike 150, allowing a design to be provided and a reduction
of the storage space may be eliminated. The user may easily use the
moving basket 300 without regard to opening and closing of the main
door 100.
[0049] The main door 300 may be formed by coupling the outer door
130, the door dike 150, and the cap decoration parts 160 and 170.
In addition, the door frame 140 may be interposed between the outer
door 130 and the door dike 150.
[0050] Rail mount units 151 may be formed at both sides of the door
dike 150, the rail 400 may be mounted at the rail mount units 151.
The rail 400 may movably support the moving basket 300 in the
upward-downward direction. Thus, the rail 400 may be formed to
extend in the upward-downward direction.
[0051] As described above, an inner space is formed by coupling the
outer door 130 for forming the front appearance of the door and the
door dike 150 for forming the rear appearance of the door to each
other. The inner space may be filled with a filler for
insulation.
[0052] Thus, the rail 400 and a rail cover bracket 500 may be
disposed at the inner space. The rail 400 and the rail cover
bracket 500 may be embedded in the inner space to be mounted at the
door dike 150. That is, the rail 400 may be embedded in the door
dike 150 i.e. the inner space so as to support the moving basket
300.
[0053] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the cut-shaped rail mount units
151 may be formed at the door dike 150. In addition, the rail may
be mounted at the rail mount units 151 at the inner space.
Accordingly, the entire rail 400 is substantially disposed in the
door dike 150, i.e. the space between the outer door 130 and the
door dike 150, namely, the inner space of the door. Thus, the rail
400 does not protrude from the door dike 150.
[0054] The rail cover bracket 500 may be mounted at the one side of
the rail mount units. The rail cover bracket 500 may cover the side
of the rail 400. The rail cover bracket 500 may be disposed in the
main door 100 to cover the rail 400.
[0055] The rail 400 may be formed to have a channel shape. In
addition, a rail seating part 540 for seating the rail 400 may be
formed at the rail cover bracket 500. Thus, the rail seating part
540 may be formed to extend in the upward-downward direction.
[0056] The rail 400 may be coupled to the rail cover bracket 500.
The rail 400 may be coupled to the rail cover bracket 500 by a
screw 420 which passes through a coupling hole 405 of the rail and
a coupling hole 510 of the rail cover bracket 500.
[0057] The rail cover bracket 500 may be formed to be wider than
the rail 400 and a rail coupling unit so as to cover the rail 400
and the rail mount units 151.
[0058] When the inner space is filled with the filler, the inner
space for being filled with the filler may be isolated from the
inner space for accommodating the rail and the rail coupling unit.
That is, penetration of the filler to the rail 400 or the rail
mount units 151 may be prevented during filling the filler.
[0059] The filling pressure of the filler may be high which means
that coupling strength between the rail cover bracket 500 and the
door dike 150 is increased by the filler. The forces acting to the
rail 400 through the moving basket is applied to the rail cover
bracket 500 instead of the door dike 150. The rail cover bracket
500 is strongly coupled to the door dike 150 due to the filler.
This allows the strength applied to the door dike 150 may be
minimized.
[0060] A lattice rib 530 may be formed at the rail cover bracket
500 to increase a coupling area between the rail cover bracket 500
and the filler. The lattice rib 530 may be formed at the part
toward the inner space which is filled with the filler. The lattice
rib 530 may be formed at the outer surface of the rail cover
bracket 500.
[0061] A rail coupling opening 152 may be formed at the door dike
150. The moving basket 300 is mounted at the rail 400 after the
rail 400 is coupled to the door dike 150 in an integrated manner by
foaming the filler.
[0062] The supporter may move in the forward-rearward direction to
be inserted into the rail coupling opening 152, and the supporter
may be inserted into the end of the rail to move in the
upward-downward direction.
[0063] The ends of two rails may be disposed at the rail coupling
opening 152. The supporter inserted through the end of an upper
rail may move in the upward direction. The supporter inserted
through the end of a lower rail may move in the downward direction.
The end of one rail may be provided and a plurality of supporters
may be inserted into the rail. Thus, a plurality of supporters as
well as one support may be coupled to the rail through the rail
coupling opening 152. A plurality of the moving baskets instead of
one moving basket may be mounted through the rail coupling opening
152.
[0064] The rail coupling opening 152 may be covered by a coupling
cover 410 after the moving basket 300 is coupled to the rail 400,
as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, the opening 152 is not
exposed to the user.
[0065] In addition, in order to separate the moving basket from the
rail, the cover 410 may be separated, making it easy to mount and
separate the moving basket 300.
[0066] As illustrated in FIG. 5, inner spaces S1 and S2 are formed
in the door by coupling the outer door 130 and the door dike 150 to
each other. These inner spaces may be filled with a foaming
agent.
[0067] The rail mount units 151 may be formed at the door dike 150.
The rail mount units 151 may be formed to insert the supporter 320,
which will be described later. In addition, the rail 400 is mounted
at the rail mount unit 151 through the inner spaces S1 and S2. The
rail cover bracket 500 for covering the rail is provided in a
direction of one side of the rail 400, i.e. the inner spaces. The
rail cover bracket 500 may be provided to cover the entire
rail.
[0068] The rail cover bracket 500 separates the inner spaces S1 and
S2 from each other. The illustrated first inner space S1 is a space
to be filled with the foaming agent. The second inner space S2 is
not filled with the foaming agent. Thus, when the first inner space
S1 is filled with the foaming agent, the rail cover bracket 500 may
be strongly coupled to the door dike 150 in the door. In addition,
since the rail cover bracket 500 substantially covers the entire
rail 400, the rail 400 may sufficiently support load or impact
transferred to the rail.
[0069] Each rail mount unit 151 may be formed at a protrusion of
the door dike 150 inserted into the storage compartment. In
addition, a gasket mount unit 155 may be formed at the door dike
150.
[0070] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the moving basket 300 may include
a moving frame 320. Furthermore, the moving basket 320 may include
a basket 310 coupled to the moving frame 320. The moving basket 320
may move with the moving frame 320 in an integrated manner. In
addition, the moving basket 300 may include the supporter 300 for
supporting the moving basket 300 to the rail 400.
[0071] The supporter 300 may support the moving basket 300 and
allow the moving basket 300 to move along the rail in the
upward-downward direction.
[0072] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the moving frame 320 is a
configuration for substantially supporting the load. Thus, the
moving frame 320 may be provided to have a shelf shape, thereby
constituting a moving shelf In addition, the moving basket may be
formed by coupling the basket 310 to the moving frame 320.
[0073] The moving frame 320 and the basket 310 may be separately
formed to be coupled to each other. This is because the basket 310
formed of a plastic is vulnerable to bending load. As such, the
moving frame 320 and the basket 310 may be separately formed such
that the moving frame 320 may cope with the load or the bending
load.
[0074] The moving frame 320 may be formed to have a square closed
loop. The moving frame 320 may be formed to evenly support the
basket in every direction. Of course, the moving frame 320 may have
high strength due to the above shape. Particularly, the moving
frame 320 may be formed by aluminum die-casting thereby being
strong.
[0075] The supporter 330 may include a supporter frame 331 having a
plurality of rollers 332 disposed at upper and lower parts of the
supporter frame 331. Furthermore, an extending frame 322 coupled to
the supporter frame 331 may be formed at the moving frame 320. The
rollers 322 may be configured to be inserted into the rail 400. In
addition, the rollers 322 may be configured to easily move at the
rail in the upward-downward direction.
[0076] A locating protrusion 324 and a coupling hole 323 may be
formed at the extending frame 322. In addition, a groove 333, into
which the locating protrusion 324 is inserted, and a coupling hole
334 corresponding to the coupling hole 323 may be formed at the
supporter frame 311. A screw 335 may be provided to pass through
the coupling holes 323 and 334. Thus, the supporter frame 331 may
be strongly coupled to the moving frame 320 through the extending
frame 322.
[0077] An insertion groove 311, into which the extending frame 322
is inserted, may be formed at the basket 310. In addition, an
opening 312 for operating an operation unit, which will be
described later, may be formed at the insertion groove 311.
[0078] Insertion grooves 311 may be formed at both left and right
sides of the basket 310. A support point for supporting the basket
may be formed at the sides of the basket instead of the front or
rear ends of the basket.
[0079] A division bar 316 for dividing the inner spaces of the
basket may be formed at the basket 310. The division bar 316 may be
disposed in a horizontal direction in order to divide the inner
spaces. If the division is not needed, the division bar 316 may be
disposed in the basket in a vertical direction. In some examples,
the division bar 316 may be rotatably mounted at the basket
310.
[0080] In detail, the division bar 316 may be formed to have a rod
shape. The division bar 316 may include a horizontal rod 316a and
vertical rods 316b disposed at both sides of the horizontal rod
316a. The division bar 316 may include mounting rods 316c extending
from the ends of the vertical rods 316b outward. The mounting rods
316c are rotatably coupled to division bar supporters 315 that pass
within through holes 313 formed at the basket. Washers 317 may be
disposed between the division bar supporters 315 and the through
holes 313.
[0081] A plurality of slots 315a may be formed at each of the
division bar supporters 315. The vertical rods 316b may be inserted
into the slots 315a to be fixed based on rotation of the mounting
rods 316c. Since the slots 315a are formed in a circumferential
direction, when each of the vertical rods 316b is inserted into a
certain slot, the vertical rod 316b may be fixed at a certain
angle. This means the angle of the horizontal rod 316a may be
varied and then the horizontal rod 316a may be fixed.
[0082] The supporter 330 may include configurations for moving the
moving basket in the upward-downward direction.
[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the supporter 330 includes a lever
337. The lever 337 may function as a stopper for stopping the
supporter 330.
[0084] The supporter 330 may include the operation unit 342 in
which a user operates the movement of the moving basket 330. When
the user operates the operation unit 342, displacement may occur at
the operation unit. The displacement may be converted into
displacement of the lever 337. The lever 337 and the operation unit
324 may be rotatably disposed at the moving frame 320.
[0085] In detail, the operation unit 324 includes a protrusion 344
disposed at the rear side of a rotation center 342. The rotation
center 342 may be formed to have a hole shape to be coupled to a
screw 339 through a bushing 340.
[0086] When a user presses a button 324a of the operation unit 324,
the protrusion 344 generates rotational displacement. The
rotational displacement is converted into rotational displacement
of the lever 337.
[0087] The lever 337 may be coupled to the screw 339 through the
bushing 340, and the lever 337 may be rotatably disposed at the
moving frame 320.
[0088] As the protrusion 334 rotates to move in the downward
direction, the lever 337 rotates about the rotation center 337a.
That is, the protrusion 344 presses a protrusion 337b formed at the
lever 337 to rotate the lever 337.
[0089] The moving basket may be fixed or move based on the rotation
of the lever 337, which will be described later.
[0090] A spring 338 may be provided between the operation unit 324
and the lever 337. When a user operates the operation unit 324, the
spring 338 is elastically deformed. The spring 338 is elastically
restored when operation of the user is terminated. This is because
displacement of the operation unit 324 generates displacement of
the lever 337 and elastic deformation of the spring. The elastic
restoration of the spring returns the operation unit and the lever
to original positions thereof.
[0091] The operation unit 324 and the button 324a are disposed at
the lower part of the moving frame 320. That is, the operation unit
324 and the button 324a do not protrude from the front or rear side
of the moving frame 320 or the basket 310. The operation unit 324
and the button 324a may be formed to have a hidden type.
[0092] A rotation center 343 of the operation unit 324, a rotation
center 337a of the lever 337, and a supporter cover 336 for
accommodating the spring 337 may be provided. The supporter cover
336 may be fixed at the lower part of the moving frame 320 through
a screw 341. Accordingly, configurations, in which displacement is
generated, may be protected by the supporter cover 336. In
addition, restrictions on the configurations, in which the
displacement is generated, due to external interference may be
prevented in advance.
[0093] As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, a roller guide 402 may be
long formed at the rail 400 in the upward-downward direction. The
roller 332 may move up and down along the roller guide 402.
[0094] A plurality of roller openings 406 may be formed at one side
of the roller guide 402. The roller openings 406 may be formed to
be spaced away a certain distance from one another in the
upward-downward direction.
[0095] The roller 332 is configured to be rolled about a roller
rotation axis 332a as a rotation center. In addition, the outer
part of the roller may be formed of an elastic material. For the
example illustrated in FIG. 10, the roller 332 may be inserted into
the roller openings 406. Thus, when the supporter 320 is fixed, the
roller 332 may support bending load.
[0096] In addition, when the roller 332 is separated from the
roller openings 406 to move in the upward-downward direction, the
roller 332 may be elastically deformed. The roller 332 may be
elastically restored when the roller 332 approaches the roller
openings 406, and the roller 332 may be inserted into the roller
openings 406, again.
[0097] As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the lever 337, in the same
manner of the roller 332, may be movably disposed at the roller
guide 402. When the lever 337 is inserted into the roller openings
406, the supporter 320 is fixed at the rail 400, and the moving
basket 300 is fixed. In addition, when the lever 337 is separated
from the roller openings 406, the moving basket 300 may move.
[0098] When a user presses a button 342a illustrated in FIG. 9, the
protrusion 344 illustrated in FIG. 10 moves in the downward
direction to rotate the lever 337. The lever 337 rotates in a
counterclockwise direction to be separated from the roller opening
406.
[0099] When the user continues pressing the button 342a, the lever
337 is maintained in a separated state from the roller opening 406.
Then, while the user presses the button 342a, the moving frame 302
may move up and down.
[0100] In addition, the lever 337 intends to continuously be
restored by the spring. Accordingly, unless the user presses the
button 342a at the neighborhood of a certain roller opening 406,
the lever 337 is inserted into the certain roller opening 406. A
position of the moving basket 300 may be fixed, again.
[0101] An inclined protrusion 337a and a step 337a may be provided
at the lever 337 such that the lever 337 is easily inserted into or
separated from the roller opening 406. The step 337a may be formed
to support the lever 337 through the roller opening 406 and to
limit an insertion length of the lever 337.
[0102] As illustrated in FIG. 9, a rail opening 401 may be formed
at the rail 400. The rail opening 401 may be disposed to be
substantially coplanar with the door dike 150. The supporter 320
may be inserted into the rail 400 by the rail opening 401.
[0103] Rail flanges 403 may be formed at both sides of the rail
opening 401 to prevent damage of the rail opening 401. In addition,
support flanges 404 may be formed at the rear side of the rail
flanges 403. The support flanges 403 may be disposed to be contact
with the inside of the door dike 150 at the inner space. As such,
the coupling strength between the rail 400 and the door dike 150
may be improved.
[0104] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the present invention
without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus,
it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications
and variations of this invention provided they come within the
scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *